Motor vehicle door handle removing tool



Dec. 19, 1961 T. APPENZELLER 3,013,331

MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR HANDLE REMOVING TOOL Filed Feb. 19. 1959 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllI FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

THEODORE APPENZELLER Wig;

United States Patent Ofihce Patented Dec. 19, 1961 This invention relates to tools for use in repairing handles are locked on the outer end of a spindle of the lock by the inner edge of an opening in the spring in which the edge of the spring snaps into a notch in the spindle, and in most doors of this type it is very difiicult to force the spring out of the notch with conventional tools. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a tool in the form of a pair of pliers having wedgelike jaws on the ends of pivotally connected handles whereby with the jaws forced in under the hub of a motor vehicle door handle the locking spring is forced out of the notch in the spindle and thehandle. is released from the spindle.

The object of this invention is to provide a single tool by which a motor vehicle door handle may be readily removed and in which the handle may be held.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door handle removing tool by which the handle is removed without damage to the handle.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle door handle removing tool which is designed to be used on door handles now in use without changing the handle or a door upon which the handle is positioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle door handle removing tool that is readily operated by one hand.

A still further object is to provide a motor vehicle door handle removing tool which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a pair of pivotally connected handles having wedge-like jaws extended at substantially right angles from ends thereof and with a flange on one side of one of the jaws for receiving one side of the hub of the handle for supporting the handle in the tool.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in con nection with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevatio-nal view of a motor vehicle door handle showing the handle removing tool inserted behind the hub of the handle.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating the wedgelike jaws of the tool with the parts shown on an enlarged scale and with the ends of the handles broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section through a hub of a motor vehicle door handle and the adjoining portion of the door showing the tool inserted behind the hub and with part of the hub broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a cross section through the spindle of a motor vehicle door handle looking toward the inner end of the hub and with part of the handle broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the hub of a motor veclaims.

hide door handle with adjoining parts of the door shown in section and with part of the door hub broken away showing the wedge-shaped jaws in the position of releasing the latching spring of the handle.

While. one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above-referred-to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise without in any manner departing from the spirit and intention of the device which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the numeral 10 refers to the invention in its entirety, numerals 12 and 14 a pair of handles pivotally connected by a pin 16, with wedge-like gripping jaws 18 and 2%) extended substantially at right angles from shanks 22 of crossed arcuate sections 24 of the handles, re-

spectively, and numeral 26 an arcuate flange extended from one side of the jaw 18.

The handles 12 and 14 are similar to handles of pliers or similar tools, and the pin 16 may be a rivet with the ends peened over, or it may be a bolt or the like.

The jaw 18, which is L-shape in cross section, is provided with a flange 28 from the outer side of which the L-shaped clip 26 extends, and the jaw 20, which is wedgeshape in cross section, is provided with a sharp edge 30. The flange 28 of the jaw 18 extends from a shoulder 32 to the end 36 of the jaw. The wedge-shape portion 31 'of the jaw 20 extends from a shoulder 34 to the end 38 of the jaw.

The forward end of the clip 26 is positioned spaced from the point 36 of the jaw 18 and its rearward end terminates at a point aligned with the shoulder 32.

The width of the arcuate surface 28 is approximately one-half the width of the jaw, as best seen in FIGURE 2, the remaining portion of the jaw being of a lesser height for clearance of adjacent hub parts during use and to further serve to hold the clip 26 in position against the exterior surface of the hub.

The upper jaw 20 has an arcuate upper side surface 31 as would be seen in cross section and a flat arcuate surface 33 extending rearwardly from the point 38 and converging with the surface 30.

The inner surface of the upper jaw 20 further has grooves or teeth 35 disposed longitudinally thereof and regularly spaced from the surface 30.

The teeth 35 facilitate gripping the upper surface of the spring clip 52 during operation, preventing the occur rence of slippage of the jaw from engagement with the clip.

The arcuate upper surface 31 of the upper jaw 20 is provided for permitting ease of adjustment of the tool into position behind the hub. Being arcuately curved, it will be accepted in a proper position beneath the adjacent curved surface of the hub.

With the jaws of the tool formed in this manner the edges 36 and 38 of the wedge-shape jaws, are forced between an annular rim 40 at the periphery of the hub 42 from which a handle 44 extends, and the panel 46 of a door 48. The door panel has suflicient resiliency to permit the jaws to slide in between the panel and rim 40 of the hub, and as shown in FIGURE 3, one of the jaws, such as the jaw 20, slides in between the rim of the hub and door panel, and, with the clip 26 providing a stop or anchor, engages the end 50 of a spring clip 52, forcing the opposite end 54 out of a notch 56 in the spindle 58, thereby releasing the handle from the spindle. The spring clip 52 is provided with a U-shaped section, one arm of which is formed by the end 54 and the other by a similar end 60 which is connected to the end 54 by an arcuate portion 62. The spring clip 52 is provided with side bars 64 and 66 which straddle the spindle 58 and connect the ends 50 and 54.

The hub of the door handle 44 is provided with parallel ribs 68 and 70 between which the spindle" extends, as

shown in FIGURE 4, and a socket 72, in which the U-shaped portion of the spring clip 52 is mounted is provided at one side.

Operation To remove a door handle the wedge-like jaws 18 and 20 are forced in between the hub and door panel and in this movement one of the jaws engages the spring clip forcing the opposite side of the clip from the notch 56 of the spindle 58, and with the end 54 free of the notch in the spindle, the hub and door handle are readily removed. With the hook or clip 26 in engagement with one side of the hub, as shown in FIGURE 3, the clip provides an anchor whereby upon forcing the handles of the tool together the wedge 30 is forced between the hub and door panel forcing the spring clip 52 from the notch of the spindle and releasing the door handle.

From the foregoing specification it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economical manner and that its simplicity, accuracy and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device considering what it will accomplish and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details and 4' parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to, in actual practice if desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a handle removing tool, the combination which comprises a pair of handles having crossed arcuate sections extended from-one of the ends thereof, a pin extended through said arcuate sections for pivotally connecting the handles, parallel shanks extended at right angles from extended ends of said arcuate sections, a jaw, wedge-like in elevation, extended from one of said shanks in a direction normal thereto, a coacting jaw, L-shape in cross section, carried by the other of said shanks and extended in said direction, and stop means carried by said coacting jaw and adapted to be positioned to bear against a hub of a door handle to guide said jaws between the hub of a door handle and an adjacent door panel.

2. In a motor vehicle door handle removing tool, the combination which comprises a pair of handles having crossed arcuate sections extended from one of the ends thereof, a pin extended through said arcuate sections of the handles pivotally connecting the handles, parallel shanks extended at right angles from extended ends of said arcuate sections, a jaw, wedge shape in elevation, extended from one of said shanks extending in a direction normal thereto, a jaw, L-shaped in cross section extended in said direction from the other of said shanks and positioned to be inserted between the hub of a door handle and the panel of a door on which the handle is positioned, and a clip, L-shape in cross section, extended from the jaw and located in a direction outwardly of said shanks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,017,093 Gilmer Feb. 13, 1912 1,576,782 Pieh Mar. 16, 1926 2,271,064 Dolph Jan. 27, 1942 2,508,555 Whitney May 23, 1950 2,618,847 Daoust Nov. 25, 1952 

